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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to duties of the vital statistics unit of the Department of |
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State Health Services in relation to certain suits affecting the |
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parent-child relationship, including in regard to the electronic |
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transmission of certain information. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 155.101, Family Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (e) to read as |
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follows: |
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(b) The vital statistics unit shall, on the [written] |
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request of the Department of Family and Protective Services, the |
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court, an attorney, or a party: |
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(1) identify the court that last had continuing, |
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exclusive jurisdiction of the child in a suit and give the docket |
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number of the suit; or |
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(2) state that the child has not been the subject of a |
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suit. |
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(e) The vital statistics unit shall establish an electronic |
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process through which the Department of Family and Protective |
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Services, the court, an attorney, or a party may request |
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information under this section. |
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SECTION 2. Section 160.422, Family Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsection (a-1) to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) Not later than the 10th day after the date a request is |
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received from an individual, a court, or an agency listed in Section |
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160.412(b), the [The] vital statistics unit shall furnish a |
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certificate of the results of a search of the registry [on request |
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by an individual, a court, or an agency listed in Section |
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160.412(b)]. |
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(a-1) The vital statistics unit shall establish an |
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electronic process through which an individual, a court, or an |
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agency listed in Section 160.412(b) may request information under |
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this section. |
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(b) The certificate of the results of a search must include |
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a digitized or written signature [be signed] on behalf of the unit |
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and state that: |
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(1) a search has been made of the registry; and |
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(2) a registration containing the information |
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required to identify the registrant: |
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(A) has been found and is attached to the |
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certificate; or |
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(B) has not been found. |
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SECTION 3. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human |
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Services Commission shall adopt rules necessary to implement the |
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changes in law made by this Act. |
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SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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a request received by the vital statistics unit of the Department of |
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State Health Services on or after January 1, 2026. A request |
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received before January 1, 2026, is governed by the law in effect |
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immediately before the effective date of this Act, and the former |
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law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |